Want to host events, but don’t know where to start? Remy has got you covered.
A Day in the Life of an Event Planner
It’s no secret that great things happen in great spaces. Events get neighbors talking to each other, build a sense of community and ownership, and add real value to a property. But what if you don’t know the first thing about planning a great event?
Enter Nat Remy, Event Planning Senior Specialist. With 15 years in the event production and lifestyle activation space, Remy has planned hundreds of events and shows no signs of stopping.
“No two days are really ever alike,” Remy says of her role. “About sixty percent of my time is spent out in the field. That could be me working at events, doing site visits, meeting up with vendors, shopping for events or setting up.” The balance of her time is spent in the office, focused on planning and calendar management, research and sourcing, staffing and other preparation, and putting together packages for clients.
Nervous? Don’t Be
Some people find planning an event intimidating. Maybe you’re worried your event will fall flat, or that no one will show up.
But Remy says when things go right, it’s no accident. Rather, it’s a question of careful planning. “Number one, it’s staffing,” she explains.
The type of staff you’ll need depends on the type of event you want, but may include a DJ, bartenders, catering staff, instructors for fitness or wellness events. Elite has resources for every occasion, and Remy is always adding to the network. “Luckily with Elite we do have a network,” she says. “We have 150 fitness instructors that are very talented.”
From there, ensuring a great turnout and happy guests is the next hurdle. Here again, Remy notes that careful planning is the key to success. She works with trusted vendors, makes the most of available spaces, and – perhaps most importantly – follows a few simple guidelines to market an event.
Save the Date
“The best way to ensure that you make you get good attendance is to market the event!” Remy says. Get your date on your target audience’s calendars – and once you’ve done that, don’t be shy about reminders.
“I always recommend, at least for most kinds of events, you should try to promote them eight weeks out,” Remy says. “Sometimes clients will reach out and they want to plan an event a week out,” she adds, with a laugh. “When that happens, I always give them Event Marketing 101.”
Advance notice is crucial to an event’s success. “Because people have lives, especially in a place like New York City!”
Remy recommends sending a Save the Date, even if all you have nailed down is the date and the type of event you want to do. “All you’re doing is letting them know, hey, reserve this day. Get this on your calendar.”
“Once you do have all of the details confirmed ,send out an official invitation that has all of the five Ws: Who, What When, Where, and Why. That should go out four weeks in advance, or as soon as details are confirmed.”
Then, start scheduling regular reminders. “You want to build it up,” Remy says. “I think where a lot of people drop the ball is with the reminders.” Weekly reminders leading up to the event, and at least two on the day of, are a minimum. Bottom line, Remy says:
“If you want people to show up for your event, you have to remind them to show up for your event!”
Building Community
“Events connect people.” Remy gets post-event feedback that emphasizes the connections people make. “People tell me they connect with each other, and it’s just a great way to help with tenant retention because, if all of my best friends live in my building, I’m not moving anywhere. I’m never moving!” She laughs.
“It’s really a retention strategy,” Remy explains. “It’s really an investment for our clients, and a lot of our clients are starting to notice that.”
A property may have great spaces, but empty spaces can feel lifeless and cold. Remy likes the term lifestyle activations: Events activate those spaces and bring them to life – one guest at a time.
“You can have a great rooftop or a nice gym or a great pool, but if we’re not activating in those spaces, then they’re just nice spaces, but they’re empty. And the events really kind of showcase ways tenants can take advantage of the amenities that are afforded to them at the buildings.”
“You Don’t Have to Go Far – You’re Home”
As tenants build deeper connections within their building, almost like magic, that building becomes a close-knit community. And, Remy says, that is a huge upside for tenants, as regular events bring a building to life for the people who live there.
“One thing about adulting is, as, you get older it becomes harder to make new friends. We’re all so busy.” But even for the busiest people, a rich event schedule creates easy options to connect right where you live. “It’s one of the easiest ways to help people connect,” Remy says.
“You don’t have to get on the subway. You don’t have to drive anywhere. All you have to do is put on some clothes and go to the resident lounge or go to the lobby, go to the pool, go to the rooftop of the building. It’s easy because, it’s right downstairs, or right upstairs, it’s in your building, so you don’t have to go far. You’re home.”